Battle of Aleppo

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Battle of Aleppo, (11 November 1400). After the success of his devastating invasion of India, Timur turned his army to the west. His attack on the Syrian domains of Sultan Faraj, Mameluke ruler of Egypt, was an astonishingly bold enterprise. In the event, the renowned Mameluke forces proved no match for Timur at Aleppo.

By 1400 Timur’s steppe warriors were showing signs of battle fatigue, but Timur himself, although more than sixty years old, still lusted for conquest. He was handed a pretext to attack the wealthy cities of Syria when an ambassador whom he had sent to Damascus was executed by the city’s Mameluke viceroy. Overriding the protests of his weary followers-no doubt intimidated by the Mamelukes’ high military reputation—Timur marched into Syria. Sultan Faraj called on all his emirs to concentrate their troops at Aleppo. Timur advanced with caution, constructing a fortified camp each night as he approached the city.

The Mamelukes, meanwhile, after a heated council of war, decided to face Timur’s army in open battle outside the city walls. It was an unfortunate decision. After two days of skirmishing, largely favorable to the Mamelukes, full battle was joined. Timur threw his horsemen in wide arcs around the flanks of the enemy line, while his center held firm, strengthened by war elephants brought from India. Thrown into disorder by the fierce cavalry attacks, the Mamelukes broke and fled for the safety of the city. Timur had kept a reserve for the pursuit and threw these horsemen forward to slaughter the mass attempting to force themselves through the city gates. While a few succeeded in reaching the citadel, it was soon made to surrender. A massacre ensued, and Timur’s trademark pyramid of skulls was erected as a warning to all.